Educational Opportunity Guide

Academic Competitions

Academic competitions are a great way for talented students to deepen their knowledge about their favorite subjects and challenge themselves to research and create. Competitions bring students together who share interests and abilities, and the atmosphere buzzes with learning and friendship. Organized by discipline, check out this growing list:

Multidisciplinary (^top)

NameGrade
Academic Bowl4-10
Arts OlympiadAges 8 to 12
BubbleWrap Competition for Young Inventors5-8
Davidson Fellows AwardPreK-12
Destination Imagination, IncK-12
Future Problem Solving Program4-12
Harvard Fall Tournament9-12
High Five Challenge9-12
International Student Media FestivalK-College
Kentucky Association for Academic Competition (KAAC)6-12
Knowledge Master Open5-12
Marshall University S.C.O.R.E.S.9-12
National Academic League5-12
National Chess ChampionshipsK-12
National Gallery for America's Young InventorsK-12
National Oratorical Contest9-12
Odyssey of the MindK-12, PG
Orcale ThinkQuestAges 22 and under
Rubberband Contest for Young Inventors5-8
Student Ideas for a Better AmericaK-12
The Denker Tournament of High School Champions9-12
United States Academic Decathlon9-12
Vermont State / NEA Scholars' Bowl9-12

Humanities (^top)

NameGrade
AHSTF: American High School Theatre Festival9-12
Alliance for Young Artists and Writers7-12
American History Essay Contest5-8
Arts Recognition and Talent Search (ARTS)12
Christopher Colombus Essay (D.A.R.)5-8
Elizabeth Bishop Writing Competition8-11
High School Communications Competition9-12
International Graphic Arts Education Awards, Inc.6-12 and University Students
John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest9-12
Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Oration Contest10-12
Kids Philosophy SlamK-12
Letters About Literature4-12
Music Teachers National Association ContestsAges 11-26
National Federation of Music ClubsAges: Child to 34
National Geographic Bee4-8
National History Day6-12
National Peace Essay Contest9-12
National Word Power Challenge4-8
Promising Young Writers Program8
River of Words: International Poetry and Art CompetitionK-12
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards7-12
Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee1-8
Swackhamer Video ContestAll ages
The Concord Review's Emerson Prize10-12
US Senate Youth Program10-12
Words That Shook the World Public Speaking Competition9-12
Young Playwrights Festival National Playwriting CompetitionAges 18 and younger

Mathematics (^top)

NameGrade
American Mathematics Competitions6-12
Continental Mathematics League & Others2-9
Imagine Cup10-12
Mandelbrot Competition9-12
Math League Contests4-12
MATHCOUNTS7-8
National Stock Market Simulation6-12
Siemens Westinghouse Competitions9-12
USA Mathematical Talent Search6-12

Sciences (^top)

NameGrade
2007 Power Puzzle ChallengeAges 9-16
Astounding Inventions Contest 2010K-8
Canon Envirothon9-12
Christopher Columbus Awards6-8
Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge5-8
eCybermission6-9
Exploravision AwardsK-12
FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST Tech ChallengeAges 6-18
Future City Competition7-8
Intel Science Talent Search12
International Bridge Building Contest9-12
InvenTeams High School Invention Grants10-12
Junior First Lego LeagueAges 6-9
National Science Bowl9-12
National Science Bowl for Middle School Students6-8
President's Environmental Youth AwardsK-12
Rube Goldberg Machine Contest1-6
Sally Ride Festival5-8
Team America Rocketry Challenge7-12
The Great Moonbuggy Race10-12, PG
USA Biology Olympiad10-12
West Point Bridge Design Contest7-12
Young Epidemiology Scholars Competition11-12